This application is based on and hereby claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/DE00/00030 filed on Jan. 4, 2000 and German Application No. 199 93 569.5 filed on Jan. 29, 1999 in Germany, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a device for severing at least one optical fiber.
Optical fibers, such as are used for example in optical communications technology, require a very smooth perpendicular end face in order to minimize the coupling-in losses of the light. For the severing of fibers, they are therefore initially clamped in devices designed especially for the purpose, subsequently scored and ruptured. This method allows rapid severing of the fibers with adequate quality of the end faces.
DE 37 35 855 A1 discloses a device in which a plurality of fibers arranged in parallel and held together by an adhesive stripline can be severed simultaneously. In this way, bundles comprising twelve fibers, for example, are simultaneously severed and consequently prepared for connection to optical components, such as receivers or lightemitting diodes. The fibers are in this case held in two positions, displaced in the axial direction of the fiber, by two fixing elements. Arranged in the middle of the two fixing elements there is for example a displaceable scoring knife as a severing device, which scores the fibers in such a way that they are subsequently ruptured by pressure from the opposite side and have a defined end face.
Whereas the fibers are still held in an orderly manner on the side of the first fixing element, for example by the fiber bundle present, after the severing operation, there is no fixing for the fiber ends at the second fixing element after the severing operation, with the result that these fiber ends are distributed in a disorderly manner at the former clamping points of the fixing elements and can only be laboriously removed with difficulty.
It is therefore the object of the invention to specify a device with which the fiber scrap after severing can be removed more easily.
By providing a bonding device outside the fixing elements it is possible for the fiber scrap to be fixed on this bonding device after severing and for this fiber scrap subsequently to be conveniently removed. The fibers are held by an adhesive surface after severing and can no longer be spread in a disorderly manner. Subsequently, they can, for example, be easily removed by hand from the bonding device and can be deposited in corresponding containers for disposal.
In an advantageous embodiment, the bonding device is mounted such that it can pivot about an axis parallel to the fiber axis between a severing position and an inserting position. In the severing position, the bonding device is connected to the at least one fiber, whereas in the inserting position there is no adhesive bond between the bonding device and the fiber. As a result, the fibers can be easily inserted into the device.
Particularly simple operation of the device can be achieved by an actuating member which operates the fixing elements and the severing device after the insertion of the fiber additionally moving the bonding device, designed as a rocker, into the severing position. As a result, the severing operation can be performed by a simple manual action, which leads to a time saving in comparison with awkward handling of a number of functional elements.
In an advantageous embodiment, a first and a second threaded pin are provided in order to set the severing position of the rocker and the inserting position of the rocker. The setting can in this case be chosen for example such that the scoring wheel no longer touches the fiber scrap after the severing operation.
The rocker may be moved by a compression spring after the severing operation from the severing position back again into the inserting position.
The bonding device may be designed such that it has adhesive strips, from which the severed ends of the fibers can be easily removed.
According to one embodiment, when the adhesive force subsides, the adhesive strips are exchangeably fastened on the rocker.
The device may be used for severing a plurality of fibers arranged in parallel, since it is easy to dispose of the fiber scrap then occurring in comparison with a single fiber.